help!

[Steff]

Right proberbly had this question a million times but i cant be bothered to trawl throgh and find it , but as some of you know i finally got appointment with DSN for tuesday i have a pad and paper here next to me and my minds gone blank i can only think of 2 things to ask her , please can you give me ideas of what to ask ?

thanks in advance people x

 

[C*5_Dodger]

Right proberbly had this question a million times but i cant be bothered to trawl throgh and find it , but as some of you know i finally got appointment with DSN for tuesday i have a pad and paper here next to me and my minds gone blank i can only think of 2 things to ask her , please can you give me ideas of what to ask ?

thanks in advance people x

Dear Steff,

What are the two things you want ask the DSN?
How do you feel your BS control is going?
Are you having any side effects from you medications?
Have you any suspicion that there may be the onset of complications?

Regards Dodger

 

[Steff]

Dear Steff,

What are the two things you want ask the DSN?
How do you feel your BS control is going?
Are you having any side effects from you medications?
Have you any suspicion that there may be the onset of complications?

Regards Dodger

hi dodger firstly my bs thats up and down not 2 days are the same on that front , anything from steady 8 -10 to 16-25 ,
metformin is giving me terrible wind and tummy cramps as well i was started off on 1 but then was told after 14 days if nothin had steadied to go onto 2 which is what im currently on , i dont think theres any complications mind you i aint a clue about most things

 

[Northerner]

Steff, think about the book that you have been reading - is there anything that is unclear or that you think you may be having a problem with? If so, you can ask the nurse. Try to find out how best to stabilise your numbers, and in the lower end of your suggested range. If the metformin is giving you problems, ask if there are any alternatives. Ask how they know whether you are Type 1 or 2 - I think this was a concern early on in your diagnosis.

Hoping everything goes well!🙂

 

[Caroline]

From my list as far as I can remember
How often should I test
anything I should be doing
anything I shouldn't be doing
diet/foods that will help /foods to avoid
exercise, how much and how often
any courses that might be of help
where to get support if you feel you need it
and anything else you or anyone else cab think of. I took my list with me when I saw the DSN, and am working on a list for the next time I see her.

I am going back to see the normal practice nurse on June 17th who is going to put me on something called a Phiscal Activity Referal Scheme, but I'm not sure how many places do it. Worth asking about if you are interested thoe.

 

[C*5_Dodger]

hi dodger firstly my bs thats up and down not 2 days are the same on that front , anything from steady 8 -10 to 16-25 ,
metformin is giving me terrible wind and tummy cramps as well i was started off on 1 but then was told after 14 days if nothin had steadied to go onto 2 which is what im currently on , i dont think theres any complications mind you i aint a clue about most things

Dear Steff,

I guess you have a good list of things to ask especially after Caroline's post. However, I think that the two points you raised are critical. If Metformin is causing you problems, ask your DSN if you can go on an extended release version e.g. Glucophage SR. Regarding your wildly fluctuating BS levels my solution would be to adopt a low carbohydrate diet, if this can be tolerated by you it may be possible to discontinue medications completely, at least for many years to come. That would solve the "Metformin intolerance" issue. However, the likelyhood of your DSN agreeing to this is small since he/she will almost certainly be touting the DUK line i.e. a calorie restricted (semi starvation) diet together with exercise. The trouble with this approach is that semi starvation diets are difficult to stick to and exercise, although good for you, has the effect of increasing your appetite thus making things worse. I guess you will probably finish up with additional medications which as I'm sure you know are never free from side effects. It was just such a delemma as this that prompted me to go the low carb diet route. I wish you luck - let us know how you get on.

Warmest Regards Dodger

 

[Steff]

tyvm northener caroline and dodger for that , thanks caroline thats a very helpful list there
shall let you kn ow how it goes x

 

[insulinaddict09]

It was just such a delemma as this that prompted me to go the low carb diet route.

Hi Dodger , I've also gone the low carb / restricted carb route to try and

stabalise my sugars , It has worked really well and I am very tempted to stay

this way. The only problem I have had has been with hypo's due to being

over generous with Insulin doses 😱


Steff I have noticed that since going Low Carb that my appetite has

decreased , If I do eat any Carbs now all I want to do is eat and eat 😱

 

[bev]

Steph, I cant give you any advice about type 2 sorry - but i just wanted to wish you good luck with your appointment and write it all down - i do - and i dont get embarrased about getting the list out - i just sit and run through it all!🙂 Bev

 

[C*5_Dodger]

It was just such a delemma as this that prompted me to go the low carb diet route.

Hi Dodger , I've also gone the low carb / restricted carb route to try and

stabalise my sugars , It has worked really well and I am very tempted to stay

this way. The only problem I have had has been with hypo's due to being

over generous with Insulin doses 😱


Steff I have noticed that since going Low Carb that my appetite has

decreased , If I do eat any Carbs now all I want to do is eat and eat 😱

Dear insulinaddict09,

You are not alone in the type 1 community in doing restrcted carbohydrates - Admin does use this approach, but not to the same level as me! However, you make an excellent point, I too NEVER feel hungry - if I am busy going something interesting my wife has to remind me to eat. I also have plenty of energy (you don't have to have carbs to provide energy fatty acids can be utilised just as well), when out walking a few days ago I left the rest of my family for "dead" when walking up inclines in the Derbyshire dales (I am 69 - almost!). Regarding your trouble with hypos take care! I have known type 1s DRASTICALLY reduce inulsin when "doing low carb"

Regards Dodger

 

[bev]

Hi Dodger,

Sorry for my ignorance on this - but - when the aitkins diet was being touted as the only way to lose weight - wasnt there a problem over people eating too much protein and it putting a huge strain on their livers? I may have got the wrong end of the stick on this (easily done) - but wouldnt having no carbs at all put a strain on the liver - surely a 'balanced' diet is the way to go?🙂 Bev

 

[Steff]

cheers bev for that i shant be embarrest i've waited long 3 month for this i might even go in there naked that would give them sumit to be embarrest about x

 

[insulinaddict09]

Dear insulinaddict09,

You are not alone in the type 1 community in doing restrcted carbohydrates - Admin does use this approach, but not to the same level as me! However, you make an excellent point, I too NEVER feel hungry - if I am busy going something interesting my wife has to remind me to eat. I also have plenty of energy (you don't have to have carbs to provide energy fatty acids can be utilised just as well), when out walking a few days ago I left the rest of my family for "dead" when walking up inclines in the Derbyshire dales (I am 69 - almost!). Regarding your trouble with hypos take care! I have known type 1s DRASTICALLY reduce inulsin when "doing low carb"

Regards Dodger

Thanks for the input Dodger , well I only have Carbs from milk in drinks and

mayo and things like that but no others and I feel GREAT , I have plenty of

energy and I am never hungry!!! , I generally eat once a day , a small carb

free meal , I regularly test my sugars during the day and take small amounts

of Insulin during the day , enough to keep level but not hypo. This seems

to work perfectly for my lifestyle but I would not recommend it for everyone .

I know alot of type 1's have the same approach but have never spoken to

one before so Its nice to know I'm not the only Carb free diabetic on the

forum 😱 Everyone else seems to LIVE on Carbs 😱😱

 

[katie]

mmmm cake.

 

[bev]

mmmm cake.

He he Bev

 

[aymes]

mmmm cake.

Mmmmm, couldn't agree more......😉

 

[Mand]

Good luck with your appointment, Steff 🙂

 

[Steff]

cheers mand x

 

[insulinaddict09]

mmmm cake.

Ha ha no cake is worth the extra Insulin i have to take to cover it Twin !!!

I'll find other ways to enjoy myself that are carb free 😉😉

 

[C*5_Dodger]

Hi Dodger,

Sorry for my ignorance on this - but - when the aitkins diet was being touted as the only way to lose weight - wasnt there a problem over people eating too much protein and it putting a huge strain on their livers? I may have got the wrong end of the stick on this (easily done) - but wouldnt having no carbs at all put a strain on the liver - surely a 'balanced' diet is the way to go?🙂 Bev

Dear Bev,

Oh dear! I think my view point is getting me into hot water - so I'll say the minimum possible. A "balanced" diet sounds so intuitively correct doesn't it! However, when you delve deeply into the subject, as I have done, you find that nothing could be further from the truth. For some 2 million years our species have been hunter-gatherers and so our physiology reflects that. Agriculture is only some 10 thousand years old and so cultivated carbohydrates are a new food that we have not had time to adapt to. Yes, we can tolerate some (mainly low GI) carbohydrates but NOT the highly refined stuff that pushed at us in the local supermarket. There are traditional hunter-gatherers that eat practically NO carbohydrates e.g. the Inuit (Eskimos) living in the far North where no plants grow. Now if this was not a viable way of life they would not be around today! So the question is, how much carbohyrate do we need. You may find it surprising but the answer is NONE! It is said that the brain must have carbohydrates for fuel to provide it with energy but in actual fact it can run extremely well on ketones. It is questionable if I eat 100 gms of carbohydrate in a week so I am in ketosis more than 50% of the time. I can asssure you that at no time have I ever suffered any untoward effects of this (the Eskimos must be in ketosis all the time)

Warmest Regards Dodger